SHANTI Bill Is ‘TRUMP Bill’: TMC MP Sagarika Ghose Attacks Govt in Rajya Sabha

Parliament on Thursday cleared the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation a day after its passage in the Lok Sabha. The Bill replaces the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, and seeks to strengthen India’s nuclear energy programme through a new regulatory framework.

The legislation aims to promote the development and safe use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation for power generation, while ensuring public welfare and security. It also provides for the constitution of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and the establishment of an Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council to address grievances and oversight issues.

However, the Bill sparked sharp opposition from Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sagarika Ghose, who termed it “fundamentally dangerous” and accused the Centre of pushing the “oligarch’isation” of India’s nuclear energy sector. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Ghose alleged that national policy was being shaped to appease Washington rather than protect Indian citizens.

Taking a swipe at the Narendra Modi government, she said the SHANTI Bill was effectively the “T-R-U-M-P Bill,” short for “The Reactor Upgradation Management Programme.” In a post on X, sharing her speech, Ghose accused the government of hypocrisy, saying it preached “aatmanirbhar Bharat” while pursuing “videshi” interests. She also invoked the slogan “ab ki baar Trump sarkar,” claiming it appeared to have become official policy.

In contrast, Independent MP Sudha Murthy defended the legislation, arguing that privatisation should not be viewed negatively as it creates jobs and helps reduce poverty. Emphasising a positive approach, Murthy said nuclear energy, often associated with Hiroshima and Nagasaki, could be harnessed for peaceful purposes and play a crucial role in meeting India’s growing energy demands.